Monofilament jacketed woven tape

Abstract

A woven rope an inner portion comprising a plurality of multifilament fibers in the length direction of the woven rope and a jacket portion covering the inner portion. The jacket portion contains a plurality of monofilament fibers in the length direction of the woven rope and at least one multifilament fiber in the circumferential direction interwoven with the monofilament fibers in the length direction of the jacket portion. The monofilament fibers of the jacket portion form the majority of the outer surface of the woven rope.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A woven rope having a length direction, a circumferential direction, and an outer surface, wherein the woven rope comprises:
 an inner portion comprising a plurality of multifilament yarns in the length direction of the woven rope; and, 
 a jacket portion, wherein the jacket portion covers the inner portion, wherein the jacket portion comprises a plurality of monofilament yarns in the length direction of the woven rope and at least one multifilament yarn in the circumferential direction interwoven with the monofilament yarns in the length direction of the jacket portion and is in a continuous looping spiral along the length of the rope, wherein the monofilament yarns form the majority outer surface of the woven rope, and wherein the multifilament yarns in the inner portion of the rope are in intimate contact with the monofilament yarns in the jacket portion of the rope. 
 
     
     
       2. The woven rope of  claim 1 , wherein the multifilament yarns of the inner portion comprise polyester. 
     
     
       3. The woven rope of  claim 1 , wherein the multifilament yarns of the inner portion have a tenacity of greater than about 1,200 lbs. 
     
     
       4. The woven rope of  claim 1 , wherein the multifilament yarns of the jacket portion comprise polyester. 
     
     
       5. The woven rope of  claim 1 , wherein the multifilament yarns of the jacket portion have a tenacity of greater than about 3,000 lbs. 
     
     
       6. The woven rope of  claim 1 , wherein the monofilament yarns of the jacket portion comprise polyethylene. 
     
     
       7. The woven rope of  claim 1 , wherein the monofilament yarns in the jacket portion have a lower coefficient of friction than the multifilament yarns in the inner portion and the multifilament yarns in the jacket portion. 
     
     
       8. The woven rope of  claim 1 , wherein the monofilament yarns and multifilament yarns in the jacket portion are woven in a twill weave construction. 
     
     
       9. The woven rope of  claim 1 , wherein the monofilament yarns and multifilament yarns in the jacket portion are woven in a rib weave construction. 
     
     
       10. The woven rope of  claim 1 , wherein the woven rope has a cross-sectional shape that is circular. 
     
     
       11. The woven rope of  claim 1 , wherein the woven rope has a cross-sectional shape that is oval. 
     
     
       12. The woven rope of  claim 1 , wherein the jacket portion comprises one continuous multifilament yarn in the circumferential direction.